BELAGAVI: Public transport corporations in the state have incurred losses of Rs 1,600 crore during the lockdown, making it difficult to pay employees’ salaries, Deputy Chief Minister and state transport minister Laxman Savadi said in a letter to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on May 13. In the letter, Savadi said that Karnataka has four State Transport Undertakings (STUs) providing public transport services within the state and neighbouring states.
The letter further read that due to the lockdown, regular bus operations have come to a grinding halt. This has impacted the operations of all four STUs due to lack of revenue, which has also affected the salaries and pensions of staffers and other payables against existing loans. The letter further stated, “Due
to the lockdown, regular bus operations have come to a grinding halt. This impacted the operation of all four STUs due to lack of revenue.
Even after the lockdown, operation and revenue will not reach the previous demand.” “As most modes of public transport operate with reduced seating capacity, it will not be possible to provide transport facility to daily passengers. This will create a demand for more buses, which cannot be met. Restrictions on public transport will lead to people overcrowding smaller vehicles like cars, taxicabs, goods vehicles and the like, which will adversely affect preventive measures. Therefore, consider this point and issue the fresh guidelines to all states,” he said.